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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: saw · spring · calf · wave · face · mine · bass · vault

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. saw — the tool
  3. vault — a safe
  4. bass — the fish
  5. bass — low music
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. face — to point toward
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. spring — of water
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. spring — the season
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. spring — a coil
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. face — to confront
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. saw — the tool
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. mine — for digging
  24. face — part of the head

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com